After nine long weeks of inactivity Star at last got back into action with an ideal ninety minutes against Dumfries YMCA. Star’s place in the third round of the Southern Counties Challenge Cup was never in doubt once Ritchie Maxwell opened the scoring and it was an afternoon to remember for the skipper as he went on to score his first ever hat-trick at any level of football. After the game he said “I’ve never scored two in a game before, so at half time having scored twice Bongo said I was on penalties if we got another, and to keep going up for corners. Big Stu sclaffed a shot at the end there and it spun up perfectly for a header for myself so I got my hat-trick. It was my first and probably last. I’ve not actually scored a brace even when I was a boy, so this was my first brace which went on to be my first hat-trick. I thought it was never going to come”.
Star lined up with new on loan keeper Fraser Morton getting the nod between the sticks and new signings Kieran Roan and Elliot Johnston taking their place on the bench. Jim Fingland joined the coaching staff recently and he took his place in the dug-out alongside Messrs Cathro and Holden as manager Darren Kerr had a prior engagement at Palmerston. It was a slow start from both sides which was perfectly understandable due to the lack of game time over the last two months. Underfoot conditions were soft but considering what the weather has thrown at it recently the playing surface held up pretty well. The visitors worked hard and were well organised as they tried to contain their Lowland League opponents and unfortunately for them they fell behind to Star’s first real effort on goal. It took 19 minutes for the home side to register a shot on target and it would be the first of many. Lewis Sloan’s corner from the left eventually fell to Tommy Muir and his shot was blocked, the ball went to Lee Wells and his effort was blocked and then it was Stuart MacPherson’s turn but this time the keeper saved his shot but the rebound fell nicely to hot shot Ritchie Maxwell and he volleyed home comfortably from six yards.
Number two wasn’t far away and four minutes later some neat interplay between Sloan and Lewis Todd set up Craig Fergusson and the midfielder fired home with a crisp low drive from the edge of the penalty area. All of Star’s goals came in bunches and just as the Y thought they might get in at half time trailing by just two, they were hit by another double right at the end of the first half. In the 42nd minute Curtiss Wilson was tripped for a clear penalty and Lewis Sloan dispatched the spot kick comfortably and right on the half time whistle Stuart MacPherson unselfishly set up his defensive partner Ritchie Maxwell rather than go for goal and the captain nodded home from close range to make it 4-0 at the break.
Star came out quickly for the second half and scored three times inside the opening ten minutes. In the 49th minute good play between Fergusson and Lewis Todd put Tommy Muir clean through and the striker beat keeper John Kirkaldie with a neat flick with the outside of his boot. Three minutes later it was 6-0 as a scramble in the box ended with Todd volleying home from close range despite appeals for handball, but the referee judged it was a case of ball to hand. Number seven arrived seconds later when Wilson set up Muir and he squeezed the ball under the keeper inside the six yard box. It was a tough afternoon for the visitors and especially their keeper but they deserve a lot of credit for working hard and never giving up and they were rewarded with a goal of their own with just under 20 minutes left. Star keeper Morton saved at the feet of an onrushing striker but the ball fell to Coates and his shot was blocked on the line by Maxwell but the rebound was collected by Nathan Cannon and he fired high into the net.
The home side though finished with a flourish and scored twice in the last ten minutes. Another goalmouth scramble ended with a mis-hit MacPherson shot landing on the head of Maxwell and his looping header floated over the keeper and into the net. The skipper couldn’t hide his delight as he wheeled away with the broadest grin inside Islecroft. The scoring ended four minutes from time when Sloan set up Lewis Dunn and the midfielder scored his first goal for the club with a well struck shot from just inside the box.
It was good afternoon for the Star and an ideal way to get back into playing action. Unfortunately we now have a break next week as it is our afternoon off due to the odd number of teams in the Lowland League. However the management is trying to get a friendly arranged so watch this space. The majority of players got some good game time on a heavy pitch and they scored some good goals. For the visitors it was a tough afternoon but as said before they deserve some credit for their doggedness. It is not often you can that a goalkeeper who concedes nine goals actually played very well but John Kirkaldie had three excellent saves from Sloan, Dunn and Cook that drew a deserved round of applause from the crowd. Next up for Star is a trip to Innerleithen in two weeks time and hopefully the worst of the winter weather will be past.
DALBEATTIE STAR 9 DUMFRIES YMCA 1
Maxwell (19, 45, 80) Cannon (71)
Fergusson (23)
Sloan (45pen)
Muir (49, 54)
Todd (52)
Dunn (86)
DALBEATTIE STAR: Morton, Wilson, Thorburn (Roan 75), Wells, Maxwell, MacPherson, Todd (Fyfe 68), Fergusson (Cook 63), Muir, Sloan, Dunn
Sub not used: Johnston, Drysdale
Yellow Cards: None
DUMFRIES YMCA: Kirkaldie, Matthews (Smith 46), Hair, McCole, Crosbie, Martin, Service (Patterson 46), Marshall, Cannon, Coates, Anderson (Murray 55)
Subs not used: Hiddleston, Faulds
Yellow Cards: None
Ref: R Menzies
Assistants: S Sutherland & R Williamson
One partner. No competitors. Visible across local sport.
